Danny Masterson is accusing his lawyers of failing to call key witnesses in his 2023 rape trial in an attempt to overturn his conviction.
In new court documents obtained by Page Six, the “That ’70s Show” alum alleges that attorney Philip Cohen, who replaced the actor’s former attorney due to scheduling conflicts, only questioned two of “more than 20 potential witnesses” who could have spoken for the defense.
The filing alleges that Cohen made no attempt to contact the witnesses, who “had made prior statements to police and investigators.”
Mr. Masterson also alleges in the document that Mr. Cohen chose not to dispute the prosecution’s claims about Scientology.
Among the allegations was that the church threatened the woman if she reported a prominent member to the authorities.
Mr. Masterson alleges in his filing that Mr. Cohen was advised by the Church of Scientology’s lawyers to encourage its members to fight back against the accusations, but failed to do so.
According to the filing, “the jury saw only the tip of the iceberg of available defense evidence in the form of inconsistent statements from the accused witnesses, while a wealth of direct exculpatory evidence was not used without any viable tactical reason.”
Mr. Cohen could not be reached for comment to Page Six.
Masterson was arrested in June 2020 on three rape charges that occurred between 2001 and 2003.
The actor pleaded not guilty in January 2021, but was found guilty in May 2023 of raping two of the three women.
Mr. Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison and is currently serving his sentence at the Men’s Colony facility in California.
In December 2024, the “Ranch” alum appealed his conviction, claiming that the trial contained several errors and violated his “rights to confrontation and a fair trial.”
Amid ongoing legal proceedings, Masterson’s ex Bijou Phillips filed for divorce in September 2023, shortly after the verdict.
It’s worth noting that the actress stood by Masterson’s side throughout the trial, but a source previously told People magazine that she has gone through a “very difficult time” since her conviction.
At the time, Masterson agreed to give Phillips full custody of their daughter, Fianna Frances.
Most recently, last month, Philip requested that his last name be removed from an 11-year-old boy’s last name.
